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Hailakandi, Oct 1 The Hailakandi district administration has begun efforts to secure a formal archaeological survey and conservation plan for ancient rock-cut sculptures discovered at remote Kahampara along the Assam–Mizoram border.

Dr Ganesh Nandi, Associate Professor in the Department of Visual Arts at Assam University, said the sculptures bear visual similarities to archaeological remains at Unakoti and Pilak in Tripura.
"During our visit to the site in 2023, we estimated that the remains could be around 1,500 years old.
Similar archaeological sites at Unakoti and Pilak in Tripura have been dated to around 1,200-1,300 years old, and the remains found at Kahampara are visually similar to those sites," Nandi said.

Local villagers have offered preliminary interpretations of some of the figures. They said one appears to bear features associated with Buddhist imagery, while another is believed to depict Parvati, with artistic characteristics linked to Gupta-Pala traditions.

Source- The Assam Tribune — “Hidden in Hailakandi forests, Kahampara’s rock sculptures spark heritage hunt”

The Belonia hoard (8-9th century old) is significant because the large hoards of coins from Belonia (Tripura state) indicate the existence of a stable economy in this early medieval period. Several hundred coins have been discovered in Belonia, which are called the Belonia Hoards. (In addition to Belonia, other find-spots for thin coins are Sylhet and Mainamati.)
South Tripura, a large number of Harikela-type silver coins have been found from the Belonia Hoard. In addition, Jahar Acharya says that not only Belonia, but also Samatata coins have been found in various other places in Tripura, even from Dhalai.

The coin of the powerful Bengali king Shashanka, found at Kasba and regarded as evidence of his conquest of Samatata (approximately 620–625 CE), as well as the Samatata coin found in the Jirania (Town in Tripura) region (7th–8th century), provide such testimony.

It should be remembered that just as a royal (government) coin proves the sovereignty/conquest of the king, it also indicate that the area was under the influence of that king or was connected to his kingdom. At the same time, the discovery, presence and circulation of coins can provide evidence of the movement of people, settlement, markets, trade, and exchange in the area that is, the existence of an established regional society and economy. Such as market, trade, settlement etc. Such organised economic activity does not develop overnight, sustained coin-based trade requires an established market and regional society.

“The Chinese Buddhist pilgrim Yijing, writing at the end of the seventh century, noted that Harikela was on the eastern-most boundary of India.” “Harikela coinage probably first appeared in southeastern Bengal” (Source- Robert S. Wicks- Money, Markets, and Trade in Early Southeast Asia The Development of Indigenous Monetary Systems to AD 1400)

Jahar Acharya, who brought back about 182 ancient coins, various pottery, or objects lost many centuries ago from various places in the state, also prepared several papers, one of the most important word is History-Culture & Coinage of Samatata & Harikela.

Jahar Acharya says that a large number of Harikela coins have been found from places like Bankar, Jolaibari, Paschim Pilak, Barapathar, Amarpur in Bilonia, Tulamura in Udaipur, Boxnagar, Charilam, Vishalgarh, Sekerkot, Jirania, Mandai, Teliamura etc. Many of these are in his personal museum Rajendra Kirtishala, and are also in Agartala Museum.

Researcher Ratnabali Ray Sengupta writes that Harikela, Viraka, Piraka and Jayagiri legend-bearing coins were found in three hoards from the Belonia region of South Tripura, around 1978 and 1980-84. She also considers Piraka as a possible Pilak.

B.N. Mukherjee proposed various readings of the inscriptions on these broad bracteate coins. His readings included- Veraka, Viraka, Piraka, Varita, Sivagiri and Jayagiri. ( B. N. Mukherjee, “Harikela and Related Coinages," pp. 166–171).

(Note- Harikela or Harkal (Bengali: হরিকেল বা হরকল) was an ancient kingdom located in the Bengal region of the Indian subcontinent. Originally, it was an independent township of ancient eastern Bengal, which had a continuous existence of about 500 years. The state of Harikal consisted of present- day Sylhet and Chittagong divisions of Bangladesh, as well as parts of former kingdom of Cachar (South Assam) and the Tripura state of India. (Source-Wikipedia)
The Barak-Surma Valley emerges in records from the 5th century CE, with valley included in Samatata, Harikela and Vanga. Literary and numismatic evidence links Sylhet with Harikela during the 7th–13th centuries, while the 10th-century Paschimbhag Copper-plate of Sricandra indicates the first known political unity of the entire valley.)

The numismatic evidence Harikela and Samatata coins reveals the long-standing presence of Bengali populations in the Tripura and Barak-Surma regions. These coins not only provide evidence of successive dynastic rule in southeastern Bengal but also indicate active trade, settlements, markets, and the movement of people across the region.

References: TRIPURANET.com ভূমিপুত্র-৩: এখানে ওখানে মুদ্রাভীণ্ডার এই ত্রিপুরায়

B.N. Mukherjee, “Harikela and Related Coinages,” Journal of Ancient Indian History, Vol. 10, 1976–77.

Robert S. Wicks, Money, Markets, and Trade in Early Southeast Asia—Harikela bracteates.

K. Bose & Noman Nasir, Early Coinage of Bengal (c. 2nd Century BC–10th Century AD): With Notes on Harikela and Ākara Coins by Nicholas G. Rhodes, Library of Numismatic Studies, Kolkata.

Robert S. Wicks, “Bull/Trisula Coin Issues of the Fifth to Eighth Century from Arakan, Assam and Bengal,” American Numismatic Society Museum Notes, Vols. 24–25, 1979.

History-Culture & Coinage of Samatata & Harikela, Vol. I. Compiled & Edited by Jahar Acharya. (The most important work of Jahar Acharya on this subject is his edited and compiled book History-Culture & Coinage of Samatata & Harikela, Vol. I. Published in 2006 by Raj-Kusum Prakashani, Agartala, the book is 134 pages long. The book is also registered in the library of the International Centre for Study of Bengal Art and is specifically kept as a subject—“Numismatic and Sigillography Coinage Samatata and Harikela.)

I hope more research is done on this topic.

English- Man had two sons. Among them, the younger son said to his father, ‘Father, give me the share of the property that I am entitled to.’

Roman transliteration-

Eastern Dialect — Cachar District, Assam
Ēkjan mānuṣar duguya puyā āchhilā. Tār mājhe chhuṭātāy bāp-rē kāilā, ‘bābā, āmār hisāt sāmānar yē bāṭ pāṛē, hi bāt āmārē dêō.'

Eastern Dialect — Sylhet District, Assam
Kōna mānuśār dui puyā āsil, tāhāder madhyē sōṭa-ṭi bāprē ka’il, ‘bābā, bishayēr
jē aṁśa āmār bāṭē parē, āmārē dāō.’

Eastern Dialect — Sandip, Noakhali District
Ek shokshēr dui beṭā āchhila. Tāder madhyē chhōṭō beṭā bāpēre kaila, ‘bāyāji, māl-māṭṭā yā āmār hisyāy parē, tā āmākē den.’

Northern Dialect — Dinajpur District
Ēk jan mānuṣer dui chhaōyā chhilā. Tāyder madhyē chhōṭā chhaōyā āpan bāp-kē kahil, ‘Bāp! bhāg hāmi pāṁ, tā hāmākē din.’ Tāhāt sē tāyder madhyē biṣay

Western Dialect — Manbhum District
Ēk (āk) lōkēr duṭā beṭā chhila; tādēr mājhē chhutu beṭā tār bāp-kē ballēk, ‘bāp hē, āmādēr daulatēr jā hisā (hishshā) āmi pāba

Standard Dialect — Calcutta
Kōna-ek-vyaktir du-ṭi puttra chhila. Tanmadhyē kaniṣhṭha-ṭi tāhār pitā-kē kahila, ‘pitāḥ, viṣayer yē aṁśa āmār prāpya, tāhā āmā-kē din.’

Source- LINGUISTIC SURVEY OF INDIA. VoL. V.
INDO-ARYAN FAMILY, EASTERN GROUP.
PART I.

A special programme was organised in Silchar on Friday evening to mark the 56th birth anniversary of legendary folk artist and researcher Late Kalika Prasad Bhattacharjee. The event, organised under the initiative of the Cachar District Administration and managed by the Silchar Sangeet Vidyalaya.

The person whose profile is based in Bangladesh is claiming Indian regions. This profile is commenting misleading information under Indian post all the time.

The letter was written by the Purvo Shrihatta Sanmillani, and addressed to the Prime Minister of India, the Minister of External Affairs, and the Minister of Home Affairs (Department of Border Management), through the Governor and Chief Minister of Assam, dated 30 May 2017. 

They submitted a memorandum providing a comprehensive explanation of their claim that the demarcation of Sylhet in 1947 was carried out incorrectly. They stated that approximately 4,692 sq km of territory was wrongly placed in East Pakistan and,should have remained in India. 

Some extracts from the memorandum are as follows:
“That a land, with an area measuring approximately 4692 sq km, equivalent to 2.6 times of the present Karimganj district of Assam (1809 sq km) was erroneously demarcated in 1947 in favor of East Pakistan during partition of Sylhet district of Assam, as per Cyril Radcliffe AWARD, Consequently the entitled territory of the state of Assam (and India) is yet to be possessed or under adverse possession of Bangladesh.”
“He was not a cartographer but a legal expert. That’s why he finally wrote in his award for Sylhet specifically to ignore the ‘Map’ as shown in Map 3 above saying that “In the event of any divergence between the line as delineated on the map and as described in paragraph 13, the written description is to prevail“.  Now let us look into the written description little closely. “A line shall be drawn from the point where the boundary between the Thanas of Patharkandi and Kulaura meets the frontier of Tripura State and shall run north along the boundary between those Thanas, then along the boundary between the Thanas of Patharkandi and Barlekha, then along the boundary between the Thanas of Karimganj and Barlekha,….So much of the district of Sylhet as lies to the west and north of this line shall be detached from the province of Assam and transferred to the province of East Bengal. No other part of the province of Assam shall be transferred.”
“Accordingly, due to erroneous exercise, only three Thanas of Badarpur (47 sq mi or 122 sq km), Ratabari (240 sq mi or 622 sq km), Patharkandi (277 sq mi or 717 sq km) and a portion of Karimganj Thana (145 sq mi or 376 sq km) with a total area of 709 sq mi or 1836 sq km and a population of 23 million were retained in Assam and a land area of 4692 sq km and a population of 57 million left in the Sreebhumi or under adverse possession of East Pakistan.”
“Pakistan could adversely possess 87.2% of land area covering 12,298 sq km (present Sylhet Bighag in Bangladesh) and only 12.8% of land area covering 1,809 sq km was retained in Assam, in place of 6,128 sq km. 
There was an unwanted, biased, and statutorily non-tenable, unprepared Referendum in a single district (Sylhet) of Assam on 5-7 June, 1947. 
A district is not an independent unit of administration. However, there were 5,41,517 eligible voters and 77% voters participated in the voting. Out of these 77% voters (4,23,660), the 56.56% (2,39,619) voters voted for East Bengal (Pakistan) and 43.44% voters (1,84,041) opted for Assam (India).
 Demarcation of boundary was based not on results of simple majority but on the basis of “sharing of land area in proportion to voting pattern”.  Sir Cyril John Radcliffe genuinely awarded 43.44% (6,128 sq km) of land to India (Assam), more or less in proportion to the overall voting pattern in the Referendum, as shown in Map 4, 5 & 6.  In an unfair exercise, Assam (India) was allowed only 1,809 sq km (12.8%) of land and East Bengal (Pakistan) was allowed 87.2% (12,298 sq km) of land. As per description, Assam is entitled to 44% land and East Bengal (Pakistan) is entitled to 56% of Sylhet, Assam. But Assam was allowed only 13% and East Bengal was awarded 87%.”

“That the South Sylhet region (comprising Kulaura, Rajnagar, Moulvibazar, Kamalganj, Srimangal thanas constitute about 60% of the aforesaid Sreebhumi) was Hindu majority area. There are 133 tea gardens in the aforesaid area of Sreebhumi. Among them 24 tea gardens are located in neighboring Habiganj sub-division. The tea communities are all Hindus. Interestingly they were not allowed to caste vote in the referendum. Still, amidst all adversities, majority of votes in the Referendum went in favor of remaining in Assam (India).”

** Series of Protest:** That the protests on erroneous demarcation, popularly known as “SYLHETER BARO THANAR DABI” (Demand for twelve Thanas of Sylhet) were immediately voiced by local citizens in 1947, but the response from the Governments of India & Pakistan was feeble.

Size of Sreebhumi: As per Redclfffe’s Award, 1947, territory (designated here as Sreebhumi) lies to the border of north-eastern of Tripura in its south-west. It is to be pointed out that the NCR of Delhi is only 1,484 sq km. The combined area of said Sreebhumi (6,501 sq km) is about three times of NCR of Delhi. In Assam, it would have ranked 2nd among 33 districts only after Karbi Anglong district (10,434 sq km).

Many economic possibilities and resource strengths were also mentioned based on their interpretation.

Note- All the points mentioned here are extracted from the memorandum.
Just a piece of history, and I found this letter interesting to read.

Many historians and scholars have also commented on and conducted research on this topic, particularly regarding the malpractices involved in the Sylhet referendum and how many eligible Hindu voters were allegedly intentionally left out of the referendum process. During the counting of votes, excess ballot papers were reportedly found in some ballot boxes, while many ministers in Assam at the time wanted to get rid of Sylhet, seeing the referendum as a God-given opportunity. The post-Partition experiences of these refugees have received very little attention in mainstream Partition historiography and remain one of the least acknowledged aspects of the Partition narrative.

What do you think?

Dhamail is a very popular and famous folk music and folk dance of the Barak, Surma valleys and North Tripura. Dhamail is an integral part of birth, rice ceremony, marriage, religious observance and festive occasions.
Dhamail is a festive song which includes dance. Although the theme of Dhamail is based on the love story of Radha-Krishna, its melody and rhythm emphasize separation and detachment, and are full of joy. Dhamail songs and dances are performed during the joyful moments of birth-feeding festivals, fasting, puja-parvan. Dhamail is composed instantly and orally around indigenous events, natural disasters, rebellions, defeats, and indigenous movements.
The use of the word Dhamali can be observed from the early medieval period of the Bengali language. Many believe that Naruchandidas composed the poem "Shri Krishnakirtan' under the influence of Dhamali songs.
Source: Folk Dance 'Dhamail' of Surma-Braak Valley: A Critical Analysis, Dr. Banobrata Aditya

This person is spreading hate against Bengalis, using derogatory terms, and insulting Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose.

Over the recent incidents in the news and many people calling out the disgraceful and inhumane behavior of KSU, I recalled this video, which is over two years old. This video was posted by Mohua Chinappa, who was born in Shillong and closely observed the tragic incident that took place in 1979.
The only reason I’m posting this is because I felt bad for this elderly woman, and this is how many, people reacted when Bengalis talked about their side of the story regarding the tragic events they faced in Meghalaya.
No words to describe how low some people can get.

Source — The Linguistic Survey of India, Vol. V, Indo-Aryan Family, Eastern Group

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